1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a canopy support frame for a sunshade. In particular, the present invention relates to a canopy support frame for a sunshade that assures reliable opening of the canopy of the sunshade even if the sunshade is placed on an inclined surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sunshade may provide a comfortable space for outdoor activities. U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,156 to Tung issued on Nov. 28, 2000 discloses a sunshade with a tiltable canopy. As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the sunshade disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,156 includes a supporting rod 12, a canopy support frame 2, and a canopy 3. An adjusting sleeve 14 is slidably mounted around the supporting rod 12. A holding sleeve 18 is pivotally connected to an upper end of the supporting rod 12. An arcuate tube 24 is slidably extended through the holding sleeve 18. An elbow 34 is mounted to a first end of the arcuate tube 24 and a reel 28 is mounted to a second end of the arcuate tube 24. A connecting rod 222 is connected between the second end of the arcuate tube 24 and the adjusting sleeve 14. An anchor 50 is releasably engaged in an anchor room 38 in a vertical section 36 of the elbow 34 to reliably retain the canopy support frame 2 in a desired tilting angle relative to the supporting rod 12. However, it was found that, when the supporting rod 12 is placed on an inclined surface, the longitudinal axis of the anchor room 38 is not located in the vertical direction such that the anchor 50 could not enter the anchor room 38 when required, as shown in FIG. 9. Further, it is not uncommon that the vertical section 36 of the anchor 34 is not aligned with the suspension member 44 in which the anchor 50 is mounted. As a result, the anchor 50 could not enter the anchor room 38 when required, resulting in malfunction when unfolding the sunshade.
An object of the present invention is to provide a canopy support frame for a sunshade that assures reliable opening of the canopy of the sunshade even if the sunshade is placed on an inclined surface. Further, the canopy can be reliably retained in its fully open state.
A sunshade in accordance with the present invention comprises:
a supporting rod having a lower end and an upper end;
a tube supported by the supporting rod and including a first end and a second end;
an elbow connected to the first end of the tube and including a vertical section and a horizontal section, the vertical section including two spaced lugs having a space therebetween, an upper wall defining the space including a toothed section, the lugs including aligned vertical guide holes;
a canopy support frame for supporting a canopy and including an upper support base having a plurality of ribs attached thereto for supporting the canopy, a lower support base having a plurality of stretchers attached thereto for supporting the ribs, and a suspension member fixed to the upper support base to move therewith, the suspension member including a suspension head having a toothed portion for releasable engagement with the toothed section of the elbow;
a pivot extending through the vertical aligned holes of the lugs and the suspension head, allowing relative pivotal movement between the suspension head and the elbow when the toothed section of the elbow is disengaged from the toothed portion of the suspension head;
a reel mounted to the second end of the tube and including a handle;
a cable having a first end connected to the handle and a second end connected to the lower support base, the cable being movable in a retracting direction and a releasing direction;
wherein when the handle is operated to release the cable in the releasing direction, the toothed portion of the suspension head is disengaged from the toothed section of the elbow while the canopy is folded, and when the handle is operated to retract the cable in the retracting direction, the toothed portion of the suspension head is engaged with the toothed section of the elbow when the canopy reaches a fully open state.